I decided to raise my own chickens this year with the way the economy has become, I thought it best to be more prepared.
I was raised on a small farm, but remember just once having chickens. So at 54 I am really new at this.
I started with 8 cross rocks (ended up with 1 pullet, and 7 cockerels!) I watched a lot of you tube, and read whatever I could find on the net. (found this site a few weeks ago!)
The chicks arrived May 29th as day olds at the local feed store. Butcher day was set for July 27th. They had food and clean water 24/7 from day one until ( First 30 days they had 28% game bird feed, then switched to 20% finisher mixed with cracked corn!) I removed the food on the 26th. All survived (Well up til Saturday evening the 27th.) and did very well.
While waiting for them to eat and grow, I build an Whizbang type chicken plucker, (I named "the chicken stripper")
I acquired a couple new 28" traffic cones Built a rack for them, build a processing table, scalding stove, and purchased shrink bags.
My 14 y/o son was my helper from day one. The best helper one could hope for!
As for processing day, we had to postpone butchering several times due to light rain, but at about 4:00pm put the water on, at 5:10 the water was up to 142* so I lowered the heat to try and keep the water between 140 and 150* that worked great, as it got to 150* and stayed there. (Two chickens at a time in the plucker for less then 30 seconds they came out clean as a whistle.)
Things could not have gone any better had we both been veterans at this. The only mishap was my son had to hold the first two meaties while I cut more from the cones, that was corrected in about a minute.
We saved the pullet for last, and my son nearly teared up when we processed her. (He would go in the pen or coup with a chair and talk to them, and sometimes hold them.)
She was the smallest one dressing out at 5 lbs 3 oz, the largest of the cockerels dressed at 8 lbs 1 oz, with an overall average dressed weight of 6 lbs 15 oz (Without neck, giblets, liver, or heart.) Finished price per lb was just under $1.25 Plus I still have the necks and other parts.
I also purchased 100 heavies and received 53 free with the order, for a total of 153 (Mostly cockerels.) from Mt. Healthy Hatchery on June 10th, So I will be processing to my hearts content come October.
Not sure if I will try Cornish Crosses again, I'll make that decision after I have been able to compare price and taste of the Cross rocks to some of the Jersey Giants, Buff Orpington, and the others.
Sorry so long, just wanted to give my success story, and give a big thanks for everything I was able to learn here.
Thank you for a great forum!
Mike
I was raised on a small farm, but remember just once having chickens. So at 54 I am really new at this.
I started with 8 cross rocks (ended up with 1 pullet, and 7 cockerels!) I watched a lot of you tube, and read whatever I could find on the net. (found this site a few weeks ago!)
The chicks arrived May 29th as day olds at the local feed store. Butcher day was set for July 27th. They had food and clean water 24/7 from day one until ( First 30 days they had 28% game bird feed, then switched to 20% finisher mixed with cracked corn!) I removed the food on the 26th. All survived (Well up til Saturday evening the 27th.) and did very well.
While waiting for them to eat and grow, I build an Whizbang type chicken plucker, (I named "the chicken stripper")
I acquired a couple new 28" traffic cones Built a rack for them, build a processing table, scalding stove, and purchased shrink bags.
My 14 y/o son was my helper from day one. The best helper one could hope for!
As for processing day, we had to postpone butchering several times due to light rain, but at about 4:00pm put the water on, at 5:10 the water was up to 142* so I lowered the heat to try and keep the water between 140 and 150* that worked great, as it got to 150* and stayed there. (Two chickens at a time in the plucker for less then 30 seconds they came out clean as a whistle.)
Things could not have gone any better had we both been veterans at this. The only mishap was my son had to hold the first two meaties while I cut more from the cones, that was corrected in about a minute.
We saved the pullet for last, and my son nearly teared up when we processed her. (He would go in the pen or coup with a chair and talk to them, and sometimes hold them.)
She was the smallest one dressing out at 5 lbs 3 oz, the largest of the cockerels dressed at 8 lbs 1 oz, with an overall average dressed weight of 6 lbs 15 oz (Without neck, giblets, liver, or heart.) Finished price per lb was just under $1.25 Plus I still have the necks and other parts.
I also purchased 100 heavies and received 53 free with the order, for a total of 153 (Mostly cockerels.) from Mt. Healthy Hatchery on June 10th, So I will be processing to my hearts content come October.
Not sure if I will try Cornish Crosses again, I'll make that decision after I have been able to compare price and taste of the Cross rocks to some of the Jersey Giants, Buff Orpington, and the others.
Sorry so long, just wanted to give my success story, and give a big thanks for everything I was able to learn here.
Thank you for a great forum!
Mike
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